Clara Ponce Acosta
Clara Ponce Acosta, a longtime Silver City resident, entered into eternal rest Tuesday, July 8, 2008. She was preceded
in death by her parents, Porfirio Ponce of Silver City and Rosa (Gomez) Ponce of Santa Clara. Her son, Edward,
of Denver, Colo., and three sisters, Christina Terrazas, Genoveva Santa Maria and Bertha Ramos, all of Silver City,
survive her. Many nieces and nephews also survive her. Her loving humor and kind heart will be missed. Mass was
celebrated at 10 this morning at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. Interment followed in the Catholic Cemetery
in Silver City. [Silver City Daily Press, 11 July 2008 - Sub. by FoFG]

S. M. Ashenfelter
S. M. Ashenfelter, one of the best known attorneys of the New Mexico bar, died Tuesday morning at Silver City of
paralysis of the heart. He had resided in New Mexico since 1872.[Arizona
Silver Belt (Globe City, Pinal County, Ariz.) January 25, 1906 - Submitted by Barb Ziegenmeyer]

William Preston DorseyWilliam Preston Dorsey, discoverer of the Telegraph mining district
in Grant county and who was intimately connected with the development of mining throughout the Southwest, died
Sunday at his home in Tyrone, at the age of 74 years. Mr. Dorsey was one of the pioneers of the famous Hillsboro
district in Sierra county, and made his way into Grant county when it was overrun with Indians and was considered
a remote frontier. Indians had no terrors for Mr. Dorsey and he established a ranch on Bear Creek long before Silver
City was considered safe for white people. The rifle which he used in those days still remains in the family as
an heirloom and was brought to the west from his home in Missouri. When the work of building the Santa Fe railway
was started along the Santa Fe trail Mr. Dorsey returned to Kansas and for several years was a foreman of railroad
grading outfits. He returned to New Mexico in 1880 and has been in the mining business ever since. He was well
known throughout the Southwest and leaves a host of friends to mourn his demise. [Deming Headlight, Jun 11, 1920]

Gregoria Gomez
Gregoria Gomez, 96, of Silver City passed away Saturday, Dec. 11, at
Fort Bayard Medical Center. The family will receive friends from
5-7 p.m. today at Bright's Funeral Home. The rosary will be
recited at 7 p.mm also at the funeral home, with Deacon Bill Holguin.
The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday at
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church with Father Mike Lindsey
officiating. Interment will be in St. Vincent de Paul
Catholic Cemetery. Mrs. Gomez was born Nov. 28, 1903, when
New Mexico was still a territory. She was one of 13 children born
to Rosas Morales and Domitila Salaiz Morales. She was married to Juan
V. Gomez on May 16, 1921. She is survived by one brother, Miguel
Morales of Silver City, and a daughter, Genevieve Johnston of Silver
City. Close relatives include nieces, Estella Rodriguez, Connie Carr,
Matilde Morales and Felicita Morales of California. Natalia Calderon of
Arizona, Lydia Wood of Las Cruces, Delia Acosta of Silver City,
Domitila Valenzuela of Hurley and Teresa Chaperro of Albuquerque.
Nephews include Alejandro and Eugenio Morales of Arizona and Rayhmond
Morales of California. Grandchildren are John D. Johnston and his
daughters, Emalee and Jessica, of Hayward, Calif. Valeria Bustillos and
daughters, Kari and Tara of Corona, Calif., and Annette
Padilla-Williams and children Brianne and Tanner, of Tucson, Ariz.
She was pre-ceded in death by her paents; one set of twin
brothers; a sister who died in infancy, six brothers,Eugeni Epitacio,
Francisco, Ramo Juan and Demecio Morales and two sisters, Felici Franco
and Josefa Sern. Also preceding her in death were her husband,
Juan, an her daughter Celia C. Padilla. Mrs. Gomez was homemaker,
and a loving mother and grandmother. She will be remebered for her love
and devotion for her parents, siblings, and all family members.
She was very spiritual woman and was a parishioner of St. Vincent
de Paul Catholic Church. Pallbearers for Mrs. Gomez's services
will be Andy Padilla, John D. Johnston, Joe Mendoza, Bodie Chavez, and
Eloy and Felix Valenzuela. Honorary pallbearers are Tanner Houtz,
Andres Padilla and Bobby Mendoza. Bright Funeral Home is in
charge of arreangements. [Unknown newspaper, Dec. 1999]

Miguel Gomez The funeral of Miguel Gomez, who died at his home Friday, May 26 following a long illness, was held last
Sunday at the Cox Mortuary Chapel. Burial was in the Santa Clara Cemetery. Prior to the service a funeral mass
was said at the Santa Clara Church. The deceases a was a lifetime resident of Grant County. He was born in Las
Cruces in 1871. Survivors are his widow, Marcelina; four sons, Juan of Silver City, Pete of Phoenix, Ariz., Joe
of Central and Nestor of Los Angeles; and four daughters, Mrs. Manuel Pena of Tolleson, Ariz.., Mrs. Matilde Mendoza
of Compton, Calif., and Miss Beatrice Gomez of Central. There are also 19 grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. [unknown newspaper, c. 1950]

Lucius C. Hightower
Lucius C. Hightower, convicted of the murder of his wife, Mrs. Hallie Hightower, at the Tyrone mining camp In November,
1915, paid the penalty for his crime on the gallows. The execution took place in the court yard at Silver City,
the drop of six feet decapitating Hightower, death being instantaneous because of his weight, being over 200 pounds,
The noose severed the head from the body. [Estrella (Las Cruces, NM) Saturday,
November 25, 1916 - KT - Sub by FoFG]William H. Jack
CAPTAIN WILLIAM H. JACK, one of the pioneer cattle men of New Mexico and at one time owner of the famous “Oak Grove”
cattle ranch in Grant County, died Saturday, February 19, 1916, following an operation in a hospital at El Paso,
Texas. Captain Jack was a native of Pennsylvania, having been born at Pittsburgh April 7, 1854. He was the son
of William and Caroline (Howard) Jack. Captain Jack received his education in the public schools of Holidaysburg
of his native State and began his career as an employee of the Merchants’ and Manufacturers’ National Bank of Pittsburg
in 1871, continuing with that financial institution for eight years, when he removed to New Mexico and located
in Colfax County, where in 1879 he engaged in the business of stock raising. In 1891 he removed to Grant County
and at one time was one of the largest cattle raisers in the State. At the time of his death he was owner of ranches
in Colfax and Union counties and was president of the Crowfoot Cattle Company. He was married in 1895 to Jessie
J. Posey, who survives him.
With the organization of the New Mexico Cattle Sanitary Board in 1892 Captain Jack was elected its
first president, an office which he filled for eight years, thereafter continuing a member of the board until the
time of his death. In the days of Colonel La Rue and Captain A. G. Austen, respectively secretaries of this most
important of all New Mexico’s official industrial organizations, Captain Jack’s wide experience and influence were
always witnessed in the many legislative enactments during the period of his connection with the board. While
never a member of the legislature, along with James F. Hinkle, W. C. McDonald, Nick Chaffin, and other prominent
cattle raisers in the old Territorial days, Captain Jack’s personality was always of great weight in both branches
of the legislature in securing the passage of laws for the benefits of the cattle men.
Socially, there was no more companionable spirit in the Southwest than “Bill” Jack. His friends were
legion and no meeting of cattle men of consequence throughout the country was considered complete if not attended
by the president of the New Mexico Board. Captain Jack was a charter member of Silver City Lodge B. P. O. E. and
a Mason and was always identified with every movement tending to the betterment and improvement of the community
in which he lived. At the time of his death he was a resident of Folsom, Union County, New Mexico .
At a meeting of the Cattle Sanitary Board held in Albuquerque on the eighth day of March 1916, the
following resolutions were passed:
“Whereas, it has pleased an all-wise Providence to call from our midst by death, William H. Jack, for
a great many years identified with the live stock industry of our State, and also for many years an active member
of this board, and
“Whereas, during his long service as a member of this body, his time and labors were given painstakingly,
unselfishly, and without stint to the service of the cattle industry and the State: and
“Whereas, there exists among the members of this body a strong feeling of the loss suffered through
the death of our associate; now therefore be it
“Resolved, That the New Mexico Cattle Sanitary Board, in session assembled, expresses, insofar as words
may do so, our sorrow at the death of William H. Jack, appreciation of his services to this organization, to the
live stock industry, and to his State; and be it further
“Resolve, that a copy of this statement be spread upon the records of the New Mexico Cattle Sanitary
Board, that a copy be handed to the widow of William H. Jack, and that the New Mexico newspapers be asked to publish
these resolutions.
(Signed) “John H. Hicks. “Harry A. Martin.” [Source: "Old Santa Fe" , April 1916, Vol. III No. 10, pages 180-182;
transcribed by Richard Ramos]

Jesse B. "Red" JohnstonJesse B. "Red" Johnston, 80, a Silver City resident, died
Tuesday morning at Gila Regional Medical Center. He was born Feb. 10, 1916, in Pawhuska, Okla., to Jesse C, and
Rosa Lee Johnston. Mr. Johnston was a master mechanic. He worked at Harris Motors, Heaston Langandorf Motors and
Skillman Motors in Silver City. While residing in Raton, he operated Red's Auto Service for several years. He had
a wonderful sense of humor and had a funny story for every occasion. He was a king, humble man who loved his family
and his many friends, and enjoyed doing things for them. He will be sadly missed by his wife and all his family
and many friends. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Genevieve. He is also survived by his Sons, Jesse Johnston
of Questa and John Douglas Johnston of Hayward Calif., his sisters, Alice Guinn and her husband, Bill, of Burbank,
Calif., and Lenora Friar of Bakersfield, Calif.; a brother, Floyd Johnston, and his wife, Kathryn of Tulsa, OK
and six grandchildren, Sheri Johnston, Dodie McVetty, David Johnston, Neteri Reynolds, Emslee Flynn and Jessica
Johnston. He is also survived by several great-grandchildren; and two nieces, Val Bustillos, Annette Houtz. Visitation
will began at 5 this evening at the Curtis-Bright Funeral Home chapel. A prayer vigil will be held at 7. A funeral
mass will be celebrated at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church on Friday at 10 a.m. with the Reverend Rod Garvey
officiating. Interment will follow at the Catholic Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Maurice Aragon, Andy Padilla,
Sam Barrera, Tino Barrera Jr., Tommy Ryan, Steve Aguirre Jr., and Steve Houtz. Honorary pallbearers will be Pancho
Randall Elton Rikel, Bobby Torres and Orval Oldham. Family members selected Curtis-Bright and Lordsburg Funeral
Home to serve them.[Silver City Daily Press, 1997]

Sidney L. Lewis
HOMESTEADER KILLED BY LIGHTNING BOLT DURING STORM
July 28,1927 -- Sidney L. Lewis meets instant death on ranch in Greenwood Canyon northwest of Silver City, Grant
County, New Mexico.
RIDING OVER THE RANGE -- At the time the victim met death he was out looking for horses. The body was not found
until morning when searchers discovered the crumpled form of the rider and horse not far from the ranch home. The
deceased came to Grant County about a year ago from Texas, where the body is shipped for interment. He is survived
by his widow and other relatives.
Sidney L. Lewis 32 years old, a homesteader residing in Greenwood Canyon about 25 miles northwest of Silver City
was struck by a bolt of lightning about 4 o'clock Thursday afternoon while riding over the range of his ranch looking
for horses. The fatal shaft not only brought instant death to the rider, but the horse was also killed.
Lewis had left the ranch on horseback and while riding along a timbered ridge, a thunder storm came up. The bolt
struck him in the back near the shoulder and went through his body, the saddle, and the horse. Both fell in a crumpled
heap. When he did not return home by dust his wife, Mrs. Betty Lewis became alarmed and fearful some accident had
befallen her husband, and notified nearby neighbors. A search began, but because of the darkness of the night this
accomplished little. The next morning not far from the ranch house a searching party came upon the body of Lewis
and the carcass of the horse. A autopsy examination revealed that both had been killed by lightning.
BODY BROUGHT HERE -- The body was brought to Silver City to Cox's Mortuary where it was prepared for burial. It
was shipped Saturday to Dallas, Texas, where the parents of the deceased live, for final interment being accompanied
by the grief-stricken widow.
Lewis came to Silver City about a year ago from Texas with a brother B.W. Lewis, and the two had taken up government
land with a view of embarking in the goat business.
At the time of his death Lewis was engaged in Building a permanent house on his homestead, and otherwise improving
it. He was well known throughout the district where he lived.
This is the first fatality this year in this county due to lightning, although considerable stock has been killed.[Obituary was written by family in 1927, Courtesy of Lee Peacock, Jan
Greer, Lucille Barry McJilton, Fay Griffin. -- Transcribed by Mary Lafferty Wilson]

Henry Manning McCleskey
Funeral
services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Mullins-Hamilton chapel
for Henry Manning McCleskey, 72-years-old High Rolls resident.
McCleskey died today in Fort Bayard Hospital where he had been a
patient six months. A native of Robert Lee County, Tex., he
was a
farmer and had made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Walter Harris for many
years. He is survived by his sister, Mrs. Harris. The Rev.
Cecil Smith
will officiate at the services. Burial will be in La Luz
Community
Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 8 a.m.
until
service time Saturday. Pallbearers will be Walter Lee, Jim
Sanders,
Jim Wagner, Alvin Cook, Bob Bishop, Lester Millhouse, J. D. Jackson,
Don Bonnell and Harris Moore. [Alamogordo Daily News
(Alamogordo, NM) – Thursday, July 17, 1969 submitted by Jim Dezotell]

Rev. Father Augustin Morin
Rev. Father Augustin Morin died at El Paso, Texas, Saturday, January
12, 1916. For more that a quarter of a century he had charge of
the Silver City, New Mexico, parish of St. Vincent de Paul. He
was one of the most widely known and beloved ecclesiastics of the
Southwest. Father Morin had been an invalid for the past three
years. Shortly after Christmas, 1912, he contracted a severe cold
while engaged in his priestly work at one of the nearby mining camps.
Despite the advice of his physician, he would not rest from his
labors, and pneumonia soon developed. However, his rugged
constitution carried him through this attack and in January he was well
enough to take a trip to Las Cruces to participate in the celebration
of the feast of the patron saint of the church there, but he overtaxed
himself and suffered a relapse. On his return he was compelled to
take a long rest, and remained at St. Joseph's sanatorium under the
care of the sisters for several months. While he recovered from
the pneumonia, its effects remained and left him an invalid, so that he
was deprived of the free use of his limbs from then on. But he
refused to abate his activity in the performance of his duties, and
made regular trips to the various missions throughout the county, over
which he had charge, undergoing severe hardships and suffering without
complaint. Finally his indisposition became such that it
was necessary for him to take a rest. In December 1913, Bishop
Granjon appointed Father Henry Heitz pastor of the parish, Father Morin
remaining as pastor emeritus. He said mass almost daily,
and even a week before leaving for El Paso to enter the hospital he
insisted on hearing confessions in the church. It was
always his determination to work as long as he could by the utmost
exertion, and he consented to go to El Paso only when he realized that
the end was near. He told Father Heitz before he left, December
30th, that he had but a few more weeks to live, and it was his desire
to spend the time in prayer and contemplation with the Jesuits at El
Paso, to whom he was always greatly devoted. He faced death with
the same courage, the same holiness of spirit that characterized his
whole life.
The career of Father Morin in the Southwest is an epic. In
a background richly colored with the romantic, picturesque atmosphere
of the pioneer days, it was replete with evidences of heroic
self-sacrifice, dauntless personal courage and enthusiastic devotion to
the work to which he dedicated his life, it is the history of the new
era, or time when the scepter of spiritual dominion passed from the old
Franciscan missionaries, to the head of a regularly organized see of
the Catholic church at Tucson, Arizona. When he came here in 1869
the Southwest was a vast, trackless, wild country, but thinly settled
and infested with numerous bands of marauding hostile Indians. He
lived to see it become the veritable empire it is today. He came
here with the old frontiersmen who first dreamed of its material
grandeur; but like the old Franciscan who came with the Conquistadores
his dream was of the salvation of souls and the building of a spiritual
empire.
Father Morin was born in Clermont, France, on the 8th day of
December in the year 1845. He early in life decided to enter the
priesthood, and as soon as he finished his academic studies entered the
seminary of the Sulpicians. He was ordained a priest after
finishing his studies with high honors in 1869, when twenty-four years
of age. About that time Bishop J. B. Salpointe, who had lately been
appointed vicar apostolic of the Southwest with his see at Tucson,
Arizona, was visiting the seminary where he himself had studied, for
the purpose of inducing the young seminarians to southwestern United
States as missionaries. His appeal was received with enthusiasm
by the young Father Morin, and he quickly decided to return with the
bishop. However, his parents greatly objected. Their
affection for him could hardly submit to the sacrifice, for it was
certain the he would never return to them, after leaving. So the bishop
left without him. But Father Morin, a purpose once formed, never
quit. He spent two months at his home and finally received the
consent of his father, and set out immediately for this country. He
never saw France again.
At that time, Bishop Machebeuf, who had been appointed the
first bishop of Denver, Colorado, was also in France gathering
recruits, and with him Father Morin came to the United States,
traveling with him as far as Kansas City. The bishop put forth
every effort to induce Father Morin to go on to Denver with him, but he
considered that he was held by a promise to the see of Tucson. He
therefore left the bishop at Kansas City and set out from there by
stage, Kansas City being then the terminus of the railroad. On
arriving at Albuquerque the driver of the stage refused to go farther
on account of the reports that had just come in of Indian depredations
along the stage route, but Father Morin refused to wait and went on
with another party. On arriving at Las Cruces they overtook
Bishop Salpointe and his little band of missionaries, just recruited
from France. There in the party besides the bishop and Father
Morin, Father Bourgade, who later became pastor of the church in Silver
City, later bishop of Tucson, and finally archbishop of Santa Fe, which
he occupied until the time of his death in 1910; Father Anthony
Jovenceau, who died some years ago; Father John Chaucot, who died at
Tucson, January 31, 1911; Father Bernard, who died in France a few
years ago, and Father Andrew Echalier, who is now parish priest
at Dona Ana, Dona Ana County, New Mexico, and the only survivor of that
heroic band of missionaries. The party arrived at Tucson on the
first day of February, 1870. After a few weeks' stay in
Tucson Father Morin went to the old mission of Tubac, about
seventy-five miles from Tucson, where he remained about six months,
applying himself assiduously to the study of English and Spanish.
While there he contracted malarial fever and his health became so
impaired that he was compelled to seek a change of climate. The
bishop sent him to Mesilla, Dona Ana County. At that time Dona Ana
County was still in the see of Durango, Mexico, and Father Morin had to
wait a year in Mesilla before that section was taken from the
jurisdiction of the bishop of Durango and turned over to the bishop of
Tucson. Father Morin remained in Mesilla about twelve years, when
he was recalled to Arizona. He was pastor at Tombstone but a few
months when he was appointed vicar-general of the diocese of Tucson.
That was in 1884. In 1889 he resigned as vicar-general on
account of ill health and went to Santa Fe to recuperate. After a stay
of six months in Santa Fe he went to Silver City as pastor, until he
bid his friends farewell on his last trip to El Paso. Burial took
place in El Paso, January 19, 1916. [Source: Old Santa Fe, April 1916, Vol. III No. 10, pages 171-173; transcribed by Richard Ramos]

Tom S. Parker, Pioneer, DiesLocated Town of Tyrone, N. M., Now Big Mine and Smelter Center
News has been received here of the death in Rochester, Minn., of Capt. Thomas S. Parker, retired pioneer mine owner
of the Tyrone district, near Silver City, N. M., at the age of 70 years. He had gone frequently of late years to
Rochester for medical treatment for stricture of the aesophagus which he suffered from for a long time. He was
twice married, his daughter residing in San Diego, Cal., and his second wife making her home in Washington, D.
C. About 40 years ago Capt. Parker, civil war veteran, plains railroad builder and Indian scout in the campaign under
Gen. Crook against the Apaches, rode across the little pine clad valley where Tyrone, the mine and smelter city
of the Phelps-Dodge corporation, now is located, decided that he would settle there and did so later, acquiring
an immense acreage of land covering copper and turquoise veins. Sells Holdings; Moves to El Paso
He promoted a number a exploitation companies, made and lost several
fortunes and finally sold the last of his holdings to the Phelps-Dodge
agents in 1914, breaking up his home in the little sanatorium city he
had built and moving to El Paso. After living in Castle Heights
addition for a time he went to California and later to eastern
sanatoriums in search of relief from his affliction. Capt. Parker
said when he was last at Tyrone he wanted to be buried there. No
information was received as to whether his wish will be carried out. He
was reputed to have held thousands of dollars in interest bearing
securities of eastern railroads and industrials. He once said that he
had never invested much money in mining stocks, but had spent fortunes
endeavoring to develop mineral bearing veins. He was well known by the
pioneer business men of El Paso, having been here frequently since the
beginning of the building of this city.[El Paso Herald, El Paso, Texas, July 16, 1917 - DD, Sub. by FoFG]